EDUC302 LITERACY FOUNDATIONS

EDUC302LITERACY FOUNDATIONS SPRING 2012 DR. ROBERTSON

WELCOME • AGENDA: • GET ACQUAINTED – READING INTEREST INVENTORY • COVER SYLLABUS • QUESTIONS • REMINDER OF SURVEY TO COMPLETE • DISMISS

Getting to Know Youhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMf2mlHlwAA

WELCOME • I look forward to working with you this semester to help you gain an better understanding of literacy foundations and the strategies/methods that are being used in the K-6 classrooms. • I am excited about this class and all the unique opportunities that will be provided so you are seen as both theorist and practitioner. • Please feel free to come to me at any time for assistance and/or to share items that you feel are relevant to this course.

SYLLABUS OVERVIEW • Required Text: • Vacca, J. L., Vacca, R. T., Gove, M. K., Burkey, L. C., Lenhart, L. A., & McKeon, C. A. (2009). Reading and learning to read (8th Ed). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. • Subscription to MyEducationLab.com (bundled with textbook if purchased at the campus bookstore).

COURSE DESCRIPTION • 302 LITERACY FOUNDATIONS: 3 semester hours • This course is designed with emphasis on the literacy process as a fundamental aspect of the 21st century school curriculum. The focus is on theory, literacy development and the methods of teaching various literacy skills. Current research and practices will be examined and evaluated. Each student will be required to observe the teaching of literacy in the public school classroom.

COURSE COMMUNICATION • I will communicate with you primarily through the course page I have created on BLACKBOARD. • Here you will find the syllabus, handouts, assessments, etc. Also, it is here that I will notify you of emergencies, changes in plans, adaptations for assignments, etc. PLEASE CHECK THIS SITE DAILY. IF I make a change in assignments or post information, etc., youare responsible for having checked the course page and being up-to-date. Failure to see a change does not grant you an exception from any assignment or change in plans, so my advice remains – check early, check often. BE SURE TO NOTICE ANNOUNCEMENTS. • If you need to make me aware of something, you should e-mail me from within the course page. If, for some reason you cannot access the course page, then you may reach me via regular G-WU email. When you communicate with me via email, please do so only from your G-WU address. Other addresses (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.) often do not make it past the filters in our server. We will use several of the BLACKBOARD options for class work rather than handouts/paper assignments in class.

ASSIGNMENTS • Assignments are due on dates posted. Students are responsible for all deadlines. For each day an assignment is late 10 points will be deducted from the grade for up to two days. Then a grade of 0 will be recorded for the missed assignment. IF, for some reason, you cannot post your assignment on the day/time due, you MUST bring a paper copy of that assignment to the professor BEFORE the due date/time in order to receive credit for the assignment being on time. Otherwise, it will be late and points will be deducted based on policy above.

CELL PHONES/LAPTOPS • All cell phones should be put on silent and out of view during class except when otherwise directed by instructor. • Laptops should only be used for note-taking, research purposes, or assigned class activity. • Incidents that are repetitive and disruptive to class will affect your participation grade for this course. • Be respectful.

ATTENDANCE • Students are expected to be in class. Please remember that Gardner-Webb University maintains a 75% attendance policy. Students should realize that missing a class does not grant an exemption from any work, assignments, readings, etc. It is incumbent upon the student, not the professor, to be responsible for assignments, both those on the syllabus and any made inclass. In the event of illness or emergency, absences may be excused (for assignment purposes only) upon notification of the professor prior to or immediately following a scheduled class. Tests and assignments can only be made up from excused absences and these will be made up at the discretion and convenience of the professor. There are no differences between excused and unexcused absences in regards to the required attendance policy – an absence is an absence. • Being tardy twice equals one absence. All absences are calculated toward the course requirement whether they are considered excused or unexcused by the professor. GWU sponsored events are excused in regards to making up work only – these students are still marked absent, and this absence will count towards the 75% attendance policy. It will be your responsibility to withdrawal from the class by the designated time if you will not complete the class due to the attendance policy. If you do not withdrawal according to policy, your grade would be recorded as an academic F. Be sure to take note of all withdrawal dates and follow policy accordingly.

DISPOSITIONS • All Gardner-Webb University students in the School of Education are assessed with regard to particular dispositions. In general, candidates will be assessed along the following dimensions: • Demonstrated belief that all students can learn • Demonstrated belief that all students deserve the most appropriate instruction • Demonstrated belief that teachers and educational leaders must collaborate with colleagues, parents, and the community to provide the best educational experiences for all students • Demonstrated belief that the teaching-learning process is continuous and that teachers and educational leaders must be professional students • The complete rubric can be found on the course website on Blackboard, and it will be completed at the end of the course and signed off by the professor.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK/NCPTS • Conceptual Framework: Built upon the NC Professional Teaching Standards (NCPTS) and the NC Standards for School Executives (NCSSE) • The Learner • Knowledge • Assessment • NCPTS: North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards (NCPTS) as follows: • Teachers demonstrate leadership. • Teachers establish a respectful environment for a diverse population of students. • Teachers know the content they teach. • Teachers facilitate learning for their students. • Teachers reflect on their practice.

ACCOMMODATIONS • If your learning or participation in this class might be affected in any way by a disability recognized under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), you will need to do the following: • Register with the Noel Program for the Disabled at Gardner Webb University at (704) 406-4270. • Educate me about your disability so that I can work with you and the Noel Program to arrange necessary accommodations. It is important that you take both of these steps no later than the first week of the semester. • University Writing Center: Contact consultants at http://gardner-webb.edu/writingcenter, come to Craig 108, or call (704) 406-4393. • Learning Assistance Program: . Please contact LAP by emailing lap@gardner-webb.edu, calling (704) 406-4390, or visit their office outside of Craig 108C.

HONOR CODE • Gardner-Webb University students are pledged to uphold honesty and integrity in all realms of university life. Simply put, dishonesty and plagiarism are unacceptable. Any deviation from this understanding will not be tolerated. The policy, as outlined in the University Catalog, will be followed in this class.

COURSEWORK: • PARTICIPATION: • Participation in class, individual assignments, and group assignments is mandatory. You will have access to a template to be completed on a daily basis and a holistic rubric which will be used for grading your progress. In order for you to be successful in this class, it is essential that you are prepared and ready to participate at each class meeting. You will be responsible for scheduling a meeting with your professor by the end of October to discuss your progress, participation, and completion of all assignments.

Textbook Reading • It is your responsibility to read the assigned chapters before coming to class. We will reference the text frequently, and you will need to have read in order to participate fully. To support efforts at understanding text context, you will complete assessments and activities through MyEducationLab.com. Chapter assessments (beginning with chapter 4) should be completed before each class meeting.

Respond to Research • You will read and respond to three research articles focusing on reading instruction. Further details on this assignment will be given in class, and two class periods will be devoted to researching and analyzing articles in the Dover Library. A template and rubric will be provided for the expectations of the summaries. All three research reaction papers are required. These will be submitted on Blackboard as one document under the assignment tab. • Support Materials/Services for Research: • Journals and other materials for assignments are found in the library. Additional journals and materials are located on the Dover Library link of GWU’s web page.

FIELD EXPERIENCE Each student enrolled in EDUC 302 is required to complete a field component for this course in a public school classroom. This experience will consists of 1) observing/participating in the teaching of reading, 2) teaching a reading lesson via reading aloud, with a rehearsed book and ample prepared questions/interactions for the text, 3) completing a teacher interview, 4) maintaining an 8 ½ by 11 journal recording experiences and reflecting on those experiences. To support our discussions, readings, and activities in class, you will complete several half-hour field experiences. A one-page summary of each experience is required in your journal along with teacher’s name and signature, date and grade level observed.We will discuss arrangements/guidelines and due dates for these field experiences in class when placements have been set by the Director of Field Experiences. A template will be provided to track visits and due dates once they are established in class.

Teacher Interview • To connect theory to practice you will observe a teacher during reading instruction and interview her regarding her beliefs about reading. Use all interview questions on p. 40 in your text. Record all questions and answers in your journal during the interview.Following the interview, make connections between what your text states and the teacher’s actual practice. Use the guidelines in Appendix A for analyzing your interview and observation. Provide an informed response that demonstrates your understanding and insights in a 2-3 page essay. The paper should be in an essay format using Times New Roman, 1-inch margins, 12 pt. font, and should also be double-spaced. This will be submitted on Blackboard.

Journal The journal for EDUC 302 must contain the following 12 entries and items are due on assigned dates – be sure to title and date all entries - bring to class daily! These should be one page entries in a regular size (8 ½ by 11 in.) spiral notebook. Rubric provided with due dates. 1. Reading Autobiography (Personal Memories of Learning to Read) 2. Definition and Philosophy of Reading (Beginning of Course) 3. Reflection on Beginning Reading Activity (Reading with Symbols; Due in class) 4. Reflections on Article Reactions 5. Record and Document Experience with Running Records 6. Reflections on Public School Reading Experiences (One reflection for each Observation/Experience including the Teacher Interview – all questions and answers) 7. Managing and Organizing an Effective Classroom (Design your future classroom based on your philosophy of literacy and explain your organization and plan for managing instruction. The links below provide examples of classrooms and an online template for creating a classroom floor plan. Use if you like. ) • http://www.izzyshare.com/album/classroom-library-k-and-45 • http://classroom.4teachers.org/ 8. Reading and Writing Workshops (Reflect on how these approaches will fit into a balanced literacy program.) 9. Skype Lesson Reflections 10. Free Write Sessions 11. Continuing list of essential concepts, educational acronyms, and /or vocabulary determined by professor throughout the duration of the course 12. Definition and Philosophy of Reading at Conclusion of Course. Has it changed or shifted since the beginning of the course? Explain.

Lesson Plans • Students will create three 21st century lesson plans reflecting the stages of reading development and Common Core Standards: K-1 Phonics, Grade 3 Basal Approach, and Grade 5 Novel Approach. One lesson will be presented to peers, and all will be submitted on Blackboard as one document.

Identify and Compare Instructional Approaches Students will use media of their choice to create a presentation that identifies and compares two instructional approaches. The presentation should include the main features/characteristics and benefits/drawbacks of each approach, compare/contrast both approaches in one graphic organizer, and defend the one approach that aligns with your personal philosophy of reading. This project will be presented to the class and turned in as an assignment on Blackboard. Be sure to follow guidelines for citing resources used for presentation.

Additional Comments: • Written assignments will be evaluated for appropriate spelling, grammar, and overall neatness and general appearance. • All written assignments will be word processed using Times New Roman 12pt font and follow APA formatting for margins and headings (excluding journal entries). • Professional dress is required on days of peer teaching/presenting and teaching or participating in ANY manner in the public schools. • Journals are to be brought to class each class meeting.

GRADING: • Evaluation and Grading Scale Methodologies • A = 93 – 100 Lecture/Class Discussion • B = 85 – 92 Peer Teaching • C = 77 – 84Demonstration • D = 70 – 76Videos/Power Point • F = Below 70 Cooperative Learning Field Experience • 15% Lesson Planning • 15% Mid-term Exam • 15% Final Exam • 10% Research Article Summaries • 10% MyEducationLab.com Chapter Assessments • 10% Instructional Approach Presentation • 10% Journal Entries • 10% Teacher Interview Reflection/Analysis Essay • 5% Attendance/Participation

Journal #1 - • Create your own autobiographical narrative about reading and bring it next class in your journal. Use pages 12-13 to help you develop this narrative – what are your personal memories of learning to read?

Survey due August 24thby midnight I will email survey to you.

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS?!

EDUC302 LITERACY FOUNDATIONS